Self-opening cap



`May 19, 1925.

J. C. LYMAN ET AL SELF' OPENING GAP Filed DeG. ll, 1922 i I I flofmmoPatented May 19, '1925.` i

UNITED STATES 1,538,295 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. LYMAN AND J OHN W. J ONES, F SALT LAKE CITY, TAH.

SELF-OPENING csr.

AApplication led December 11, 1922. Serial No. 606,211.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN C. LYMAN and JOHN W. JONES, citizens of theUnitedv States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lakeand State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Iniprovements inSelf-Opening Caps; and we do declare the followin to be a full, clear,and exact description o? the invention, such as will enable othersskilled 4in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention has -for its object to provide a simple and inexpensiveself-opening cap controlled by a push button, the cap being intended foruse upon automobile radiators, gasoline tanks, and the like, so that i agreat saving in time and inconvenience may be effected when filling.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subjectmatter hereinafter described and claimed, the description beingsupplemented by the accompanyingdrawmg.

igure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a cap constructed in accordancewith our invention.

Fi ure 2 is a horizontal sectional view showlng the lower section inelevation.

In carrying out our invention, we employ an open-ended body member 1provided with means for attachment to the illing neck of an automobileradiator or gasoline tank, or the like. This means is illustrated in thedrawing as consisting of interior screw threads 2, located upon thelower end portion of the member. A lid member 3 is pivoted at 4 to thebody member 1 and we provide means controlled by a push button 5, foropening the lid member 3 -when said push button is operated. While thismeans may assume different forms, we have given but one illustration,which is described below.A

A spring arm 6 is secured 'to the inner side of the body member 1 andbears at its upper end against the inclined inner side of a lug 7 whichis formed in the lid member 3, said springarm normally pressingoutwardly upon said lug to exert an opening tendency upon the lid member3. At 'a point opposite the spring arm 6, we have shown a resilientlatch arm 8 secured to the lid member 3 and engaging a shouldery 9 onthevbody member 1, the lower end of this latch arm 8 being in the inwardpath of a pin 10 which extends inwardly from the push button 5 asuitable spring 11 being employed for normally moving said pin and pushbutton outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1. It will be seen thatpushing the button 5 inwardly will release the latch 8 from the nose 9thus permitting' the s ring 6 to come into play for opening t e lidmember 3, permitting filling of the radiator or gasoline tank withoutthe necessity of unthreadin any part of the cap from the filling nec.

In the construction shown, the portionsof the member 1 to which thespring arm 6 is secured and the portion of said member through which thepin 10 slides, as well as the art of the lid member 3 to which' the late1 arm 8 is secured, are all provided with internal bosses 12 increasingtheir thickness.

By employing the construction shown or a substantial equivalent thereof,a device is provided which will be highly advantageous, both to theautomobile owner and to the attendants of service stations and gara es,as a great deal of trouble andtime will e saved.

It is of course to be understood that any desired provision may be madeto prevent leakage between the two members of the cap. In the presentshowing, we have illustrated a rib 13 on one member fitting snuglywithin a groove 14 on the other member. It is to be understoodhoweverthat a suitable gasket could be employed if desired. Also, itwill be clear that a radiator thermometer or an ornament could bemounted on the device when it is to be used upon an automobile radiator,as indicated by the dot and dash lines 15.

We claim A device of the 4class described comprising an o en ended bodymember, the lower end of w ich is internally threaded, a lid memberhined at one edge to the upper end of said bo y member, a spring securedat one end to the inside of the upper end portion of said body memberand having its other end bearing against the inside of said lid memberto urge said lid member to open position, a spring latch secured at itsupper end to the inside of said lid member at a point diametricallyopposite from said spring and having its lower end rojecting below thelower side of said liti) member, a lug formed upon theinside of theupper end portion of said body member and positioned for engagement bythe lower end of said latch to hold said lid member closed, a pushbutton slidably mounted transversely through the Wall of said lid memberand having its inner end positioned to engage and move the lower end ofsaid latch out of engagement with said 1ug,-a head upon the outer end ofsaid push button, said head being disposed upon the outside of said 10body member so as to be readily depressed and a spring confined betweensald head and the outside of said body member.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto affixed our signatures.

JOHN O. LYMAN. JOHN W. JONES.

